Card feed with slitter



y 5, 1 R. E. PAGE CARD FEED WITH SLITTER Original Filed Aug. 25, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

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Q; v b mm y 1936- R. E. PAGE 'CARD FEED WITH SLITTER Original Filed Aug. 23, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

May 5, 1936. E. PAGE CARD FEED WITH SLITTER Original Filed Aug. 23, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 8. F9 ms t m .r 2 mw m. 9 gm. 1 NW m M 2 m a? u a Q. Q Q l\ m. w b $0 I WV n 1 n ow mm n. U F fi l. lqlhhl IHHII m 0 w vm S. 00 o A H u 8 0 av Q h m H m QM 3 o W 9 M w n F w\ m QN Q m i 2; v 59 Gm" o: 2: m w Q2 E 1%ENTOR.

' A TTORNEYS.

May 5, 1936. R 5 PAGE 2,039,831

CARD FEED WITH SLI'ITER Original Filed Aug. 25, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS.

y 1936. R. E. PAGE 2,039, 31

CARD FEED WITH SLITTER Original Filed Aug. 25, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR. Wfi,

BY W

A TTORNEYS.

M y 5, 1936. R. E. PAGE CARD FEED WITH SLITTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Aug. 23, 1934 Z fiIVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES".

cum FEED wrrn sums.

Ralph E. Page, Bingha'mton, N. Y., assimito International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application August 23, 1934, Serial No. 741,029. Divided and this, application March 23, 1935. Serial No. 12,533

20 Claims.

This case is a division of application Serial No. 741,029, filed August 23, 1934, and relates to accounting machines controlled by perforated, data bearing cards and is directed to the following objects:

To slit in a novel manner a large control card into smaller cards as it passes through and controls the accounting machine.

To stop, align, and square the large card just before it is slit so as to provide for an accurate, invariable, slitting of the cards into the exact, predetermined, size and shape of smaller cards.

To interrupt the feed of the card before it is slit and squared in position.

To prevent feed of the smaller individual cards unless the slitter is first disabled.

To disable the card squaring means as an incident to the disabling of the slitter.

To provide means for feeding such cards so that they will advance in a linear path without tendency to move askew due to uneven pressure on their surfaces.

Other objects and advantages will be brought out in the following parts of the specification and will appear from the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the machine with the gear case removed;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. 4, showing the new form of feed for a small card;

Fig. 3 is a representation of the old form of feed in connection with a small card;

' Fig. 4 is a section on line li of Fig. 6;

, Fig. 5 is a rear view of the supply hopper when containing a double stack of small cards;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the machine below the lower analyzer section;

Fig. 7 is a detail of the operating means for disabling the slitter and correlated mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8- 8 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a detail section along lines ill-l0 of Fig. 12;

J Fig. 11 shows a part of Fig. 8 with the slitter in disabled position;

Fig. 12 is a detail of the card aligning and squaring mechanism taken along line l2-|2 of Fig. 6;

- Fig. 13 is a section on line |3-i3 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 14 is a section on line l4-I4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 15 shows the large card before it is completely slit into small cards;

Fig. 16 is a section through the supply hopper along lines Iii-l6 of Fig. 5;

(Cl. 16461) j Fig. 17 is a detail of the latch means for holding a partition plate in the supply hopper;

Fig. 18 is a detail of static removing means applied to the ejector belts which eject the strips gut out of the large card when it is divided into Fig. 19 is a view showing the relation of the lower analyzing means to a pair of small cards passing abreast through the machine, and;

Fig. 20 is a circuit diagram of the parts of the machine pertinent to the invention.

This invention will be explained in connection with a machine such as disclosed in Patents 1,827,259 and 1,926,883, although it is generally applicable to other tabulating or analogous machines.

A general explanation of the machine and its purpose will first be given. The control cards are provided with parallel columns containing information according to a selected code. The present invention makes use of the Hollerith code in which each column has ten index point positions, any one of which may be perforated to represent 0 to 9 according to its difierential position in a column. Some of the columns of a card contain numerical values or amounts while other columns contain classification data pertinent to the amount items. Thus as indicated in Fig. 14 the large card C is adapted'for use in some such place as a post office where money orders are issued. It will be further noted that the large card 0 has two duplicate sections which, for convenience, may be referred to as =small cards 0. Each card 0 isperforatedwith the information relative to a difierent money order so that the information on one section may have entirely no relation to the information on the other section except possibly for common classification data. It is thus feasible that the large card C be separated into its sections and these latter be considered and handled as separate, individual, small cards for sorting, tabulating, orthe like purposes.

In punching the information on cards, it is however more convenient, saves time, and is better suited to the ordinary card punching machine that the two sections be together in the form of the large card to be perforated with the information related to the two difierent money orders. It is also convenient after the punching of the large card to tabulate the, information regarding the two money orders from the large card to save time and wear on the machine. However, after the tabulating operations, it is usually necessary to separate the large card so that each section c related to a different transaction may be separately sorted. Thus the two sections of a card may each relate to a different issuing oifice or file and in some casesit would be necessary to sort the cards according to the issuing ofilde or file. In such event, the separate sections of the card must be separately sorted and it follows that for this purpose the large card C must be slit into two individual cards 0.

In brief, then, the present machine provides means for tabulating the information on the large card C and after completion of the tabulation provides for shearing the cards into its separate duplicate sections 0. The machine is also adapted to tabulate information from a large card without shearing it. Further, the machine is adapted to feed the small cards c as individual cards and tabulate information therefrom.

With this general explanation in mind the machine will now be explained in detail, first with regard to the operation on a large card C and the slitting of the latter into small cards 0.

Referring to Fig. 1, gear i 0 is constantly rotated during tabulating operations by suitable clutch connections from a motor (not shown). Gear Ill, through idler II, drives central gear i2. Shaft l3 of gear l2 carries complementary, star-shaped cams l4 and i5, respectively engaged by follower arms l6 and I! of a common shaft is. The projections of one such cam lie intermediate the projections of the other cam and the rise of one projection of a cam coacts with and positively moves its follower arm at the same time that the drop of a projection of the other cam is permitting its follower arm to recede. Thus, cam i4 is positively moving arm i6 and shaft 58 clockwise (as viewed in Fig. l.) at the same time as arm I! is moving into a depression of cam i5 and cam I5 is positively moving arm W and shaft I8 counterclockwisewhile arm i 6 is moving into a depression in its cam M. In this manner, shaft I8 is positively rocked in forward and return directions and no dependence placed on impositively acting springs. 4

Referring to Fig. 4, shaft i8 carries two picker arms I9 (see Fig. 5) connected to slides 20 provided with card pickers 2i. Upon clockwise movement of shaft i8, pickers-2i move the bottom card C of a stack in supply hopper 22 out of the hopper and into the grip of a first pair of feed rolls 24 and 25. It will be noted that the feed of the cards by the pickers is intermittent and thus the successive cards are fed at suitable distances apart. Feed rolls 24 and 25 and three other such pairs of successively disposed and similar feed rolls advancethe card first between brushes 26 and contact roller 27] of the upper analyzing section and then between the brushes 28 and common contact roller 29 of a lower analyzing section.

As seen from Fig. 1, the inner rolls 24 are geared for rotation to central gear it while the outer rolls 25 are geared to the inner rolls.

The last pair of feed rolls 24 and 25 feeds the card to the pair of feed rolls 5t and 30, which moves the card through coacting rotary slitters 32 and 33. These slit the card 0 into small sectional cards 0 which are seized by ejecting rolls 34 and advanced to rotary stacker 35 which delivers the small cards to the receiving magazine 36. In slitting the large card, a narrow strip S (see Fig. 15) is cut out. This strip curls downwardly during the cutting operation, abuts guide plate 31 and moves below a plate 35 and onto a belt 30 (see Figs. 4, l2, and 18). The strip is then gripped between belt 59v and a coacting belt and elected from the machine.

In dry weather, it has been found that because of static, the strip S clings to the surface of one of the belts and travels around again with the belt thereby interfering with the ejection of the strips 8 which follow. To overcome this condition, the surfaces of the belts are kept wet by a wick 4| (see Fig. 18) which contacts the lower belt 36. The wick is set inside a jar 42 containing water and secured by bracket 43 to the frame 44 of the machine. The wetting of the belts relieves the static condition and overcomes the tendency of the strips S to cling to the belts.

In order to slit the large card C accurately into duplicate sectional cards 0, it is desirable to positively align or square the card with respect to the slitters before the slitting operation. For this purpose, the feed of the card is interrupted before the slitting operation, the leading edge of the card is positively engaged to stop the card, and the card is moved transversely of the machine against a side stop.

Referring to Figs. 4, 6 and 12, when card C leaves the lower analyzing section, it is fed by the last pair of rolls 24 and 25 to rolls 30 and 3|. When the rear edge of the card leaves the grip of rolls 24 and 25, its forward edge is just emerging from rolls 30 and 3i. At this time, rolls 38 are moved away from rolls 3| to interrupt the feed of the card. Simultaneously, transverse stop fingers 46 move upwardly into the path of the card and engage the forward edge of the latter to positively stop the card and aline its forward edge in a transverse direction. While engaged by stop fingers 46, a pair of longitudinally alined side fingers 41 engage one side of the card and shift the card transversely to abut its opposite side with an elongated bar 48 (see Figs. 6 and 9) forming a side stop and locator. The card is thus squared with respect to the slitters and accurately and positively positioned in a predetermined location prior to the slitting operation. After the card has been so positioned, stops 46 move down out of the path of the card, side fingers 41 are retracted, and rolls 30 and 3| come together'again to resume feed of the card.

Separation of rolls 30 and Si is brought about by movement of rolls 30 away from rolls3l. For this purpose, the shaft 50' of rolls 30 is rockably mounted at each end by means ofan arm 5| on a stub shaft 52. Also pivoted to each stub shaft 52 is a lever 53 which intermediate its ends rotatably embraces shaft 50 and at its free end carries a follower roller 54. The roller 54 rides along the periphery of a wheel 55 having a short cam bump 56. When roller 54 rides up cam bump 56, it causes lever 53 to rock counterclock wise (as viewed in Fig. 12) against resistance of a spring-pressed rocker arm 5?. The counterclockwise movement of levers 53 raises shaft 50 to separate feed rolls 35 from companion rolls 3!.

Connected to each lever 53 by means of a link 58 is a lever 59 pivoted to the frame on pins 60. The two levers 59 at opposite sides of the machine (see Fig. 6) carry between them a transverse bar 6! to which are fixed the stops 45. Accordingly, when levers 53 are rocked counterclockwise to raise feed rolls 30, through links 58 they efiect clockwise rocking of levers 53 about pins 60 to thereby raise stops 46 and position them in the path of the card. The steps 46 positively arrest the card and prevent its reaching indeterminate positions due to its own gers 41.

momentum or to an overfeed by rolls 39' and 3| or by rolls 3| alone after the rolls 39 have been moved away from the card. Further, stops 46 aline the forward edge of the card in a transverse direction at right angles to its line of feed.

Wheel 55 in addition to its peripheral cambump 56 also has on its outer face a cam depression 62 (see Fig. 6). Wiping the outer face of wheel 55 is a follower roller 63 which is carried by a bracket 64 secured to a plate 65 which is formed at its upper end with the side fingers 41. Bracing plate 65 is bent plate 66. Plates 65 and 66 are secured to the opposite sides of a sleeve 61 rotatably and slidably mounted on shaft 68 of wheel 55. To constrain the plate 65 to slidable movement, it is notched at the rear to receive and slide along a guide bar 69. When cam bump 56 of wheel 55 coacts with follower 54 of levers 53 to raise feed rolls 39 and stops 46, cam depression 62 in the face of wheel 55 reaches follower 63 of the side locating device and permits a spring 19' (see Fig. 6) to move the side locating device with its fingers 41 towards the side stop bar 48. In this movement, fingers 41 engage the adjacent side of the arrested card and shift the card until its far side engages stop 48. The position of fingers 41 and the card after this operation is indicated in Fig. 6.

It is also desirable to stop rotation of lower or outer feed rolls 3| when the card is arrested and alined in proper position in order that the rolls 3| by frictional coaction with the card do not attempt to advance it after rolls 39 have been raised and stops 46 moved into the path of the card. Rolls 3| are on a shaft 12 (see Figs. 4, 12, and 13) provided with a gear 13 (see also Fig. 6) meshed with gear 14 on the shaft 68 which also carries cam wheel 55. Shaft 68 is rotated by constantly rotating, main gear l9. Referring to Fig. 13, it is seen that gears 13 and 14 have complementary blank portions 15 and 16, respectively. To the sides of the gears 13 and 14 are fastened similarly shaped complementary plates 11 and 18. Due to these plates 11 and 18 and blank portions 15 and 16, the rotation of gear 13 by gear 14 is intermittent and for a short period, gear 14 rotates without eifecting rotation of gear 13, its shaft 12, and feed rolls 3|. The coaction of plates 11 and 18 further holds the shaft 12 positively against rotation. The idle period of gear 13 substantially coincides with the period of separation of rolls 39 and 3|.

Briefly, the above operations of interrupting the feed of the card and squaring it are:

Separation of rolls 39 and 3|, interruption of rotation of rolls 3|, raising into action of cross stops 46, and transverse movement of side fin- The above operations all take place in a brief interval but sufiicient to. square the card after which rolls 39 return to coaction with rolls 3|, thereby holding card in accurate position, cross stops 46 drop, side stops 41 move away from the side of the card, and rotation of the rolls 3| resumes to feed accurately positioned card C to the slitters 32 and 33.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 11, upper rotary slitter 32 is a disk with each circumferential edge forming a sharp cutting knife. The slitter 32 is mounted on shaft 83 also carrying feed rolls 8| to positively grip the card and assist in moving it through the slitters. In order to provide an effective cutting coaction between slitters 32 and 33, such as to slit the card cleanly, it is desirable that the cooperating and overlapping cutfrom which pins 86 and a key 81 extend to be slidably received in openings in a collar 88 fixed to a common shaft 89. The pins 86 and key 81 slidably couple the slitter parts 33a and 33b to shaft 89 and at the same time connect t' e slitter parts to the shaft for rotation. Surrounding pins 88 are coil springs 99 which constantly urge sleeves and the slitter parts 33a and 33b to slide along shaft 89 toward each other and into firm, intimate, invariable contact with the sides of slitter disk 32.

Shaft 89, as well as upper slitter shaft 83 is driven by a gear train 9| from the central gear l2.

The slitter parts 33a and 33b firmly support the card, during the slitting operation, in its own plane while the cutting edges of slitter 32 rotate to a point below the plane of the card to coact with parts 33a and 33b in shearing out the narrow strip S to divide the card into two. Due to the support of the card by parts 33a and 33b, the adjacent severed sides of the card sections are not bent downwardly by slitter 32 but remain perfectly fiat. This is one reason for cutting out the narrow strip S to split the card C instead of merely slitting card C along a single dividing line which would result in one card having a bent edge.

The cards Cwhich are slit into separate sections may be referred to as large, parent, or wide cards while the cards c which result from the slitting operation may be referred to as small, divisional, or narrow cards. The operation of cutting the cards C into cards c has been explained. When it is preferred to feed cards C through the machine without slitting them or when the small cards 0 are feeding through the machine, it is desirable to disable the card slitting means 32 and 33. In the case where small cards 0 are being fed, it is desirable to disable the slitters becawc if they remained in operative position, the slightest deviation of a card 0 from its normal line of travel would slice off a part of the card or bend its edge.

To disable the slitters, the lower slitter shaft 89 is moved transversely away from the upper slitter shaft 89. Accordingly, the lower slitter shaft is carried by rocker arms 92 pivoted on studs 93 carried by the frame. Straddling shaft 89 at each end is a forked arm 94 extending from a sleeve 95 which is freely rotatably carried by a shaft 96. Springs 91 connected to arms 94 urge the latter and the rocker arms 92 upwardly to operatively dispose the lower slitter with respect to the upper slitter.

On shaft 96 are fixed collars 98 each-having one face in contact with a face of a sleeve 95. Projecting from said face of a collar 98 is a quadrant lug 99. In the path of lug 93, the sleeve 95 has a lug I99 of about width (see Fig. 8). Normally, lug S9 is close to one side of lug I99. When shaft 96 swings clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 8) through about 90, then lug 99 engages the other side of lug I99 and begins to rock sleeve t8 clockwise with the shaft iltl. Consequently, forked arm 96 integral with sleeve also rocks clockwise and because it straddles shaft rocks the carrying arms $2 or the latter in the some direction about pivots till. The result is that the lower slitter shaft 39 and its slitter parts will be moved downwardly away from the upper slitter and therefore out of cutting cooperation with the latter.

Shaft 96 is rocked by means of a crank arm ltd which is on the outside of the machine, accessible to the operator (see Fig. 7,). we is in full line position (Fig. 7), a latch pin or plunger it?! slidably mounted in handle M38 oi the crank arm is held seated in a notch liltl oi the frame by means of a spring Mill. The latch pin is provided with a finger knob l l i. To swing crank arm we clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 'l), the operator first pulls knob ill out, releasing latch plunger it?! from notch M39. The arm ltd can then be swung clockwise to dotted line position, Fig. '7. In this dotted line position, latch pin it]? seats in a notch M2 to hold the crank arm stationary. The swing from full line to dotted line position is about 95.

As stated above, crank arm W6 is fixed to shaft 96 and therefore when the arm swings 95, as explained, it will also rock shaft 96 and collars 98 at each end thereof clockwise through the same angle. For about the first 90 of this movement, lugs 99 on collars 98 do not contact lugs I00 on sleeves 95. Through about the last five degrees, the lugs 99 and I00 engage so that sleeves 95 are swung 'through substantially 5, resulting in a substantially corresponding swing of lower slitter shaft 89 away from upper slitter shaft 80, thus separating the slitter 33 from 32 and rendering them incapable of cutting the cards.

When the lower slitter'shaft 89 is moved to imperative position, springs 90 which force the slitter parts 33a. and b towards each other, if left free to act, would position these slitter parts so close to each other as to prevent proper return of the lower slitter to operative position. This is because the lower slitter parts would then engage and be stopped by the circumference of upper slitter disk. As a result, not only would the lower slitter parts fail to return to proper operating position with respect to the upper slitter disk but also the cutting edges of slitters 32 and 33 would be seriously damaged by the improper contact between them. Even if the lower slitter parts were not abruptly stopped by contact with the upper slitter disk but could be forced past the upper disk, the action would be injurious to'the coating cutting edges. To avoid these complications, the movement of the lower slitter shaft to disable the slitters is accompanied by a spreading apart of the slitter parts 33a and 3%, against resistance of springs till, axially of shaft 8&3 to positions indi= cated in Fig. 11.

The axial separation of parts 33c and h is aocomplished by the rocking of shaft in the-inanner described. Referring to Fig. 10, shaft 96 is provided with a pair of radially projecting studs its initially located in the wide part of a heartshaped slot 5 l5. One-half the heart-shaped slot 3 it is formed in a sleeve l l l and the complemem tary half of this slot is shaped in a similar sleeve Ml, both rotatably carried by shaft 9'5. When shaft 955 has rocked about 45 in the direction in which it disables the lower slitter the studs l i?) move down (as viewed in Fig. 10) into the tapering end of slot lit and cam sleeves it?! apart. This occurs before the shaft 96 moves the lower When crank arm aosaesi slitter shaft down. Forked amis H18 extend from sleeves Ml, each fork oi an arm losing pro vided with a roller Mil. The rollers of each arm Mil are located in a groove (12d of a sleeve tie carrying one of the slitter parts. Accordingly, when pins lib separate sleeves ill, arm. [lift through the action of rollers lit similarly separate the two halves of slitter thereby moving the cut=- ting edges of slitter parts 33c and 93th axially away from the cutting edges of upper slitter 82. Then, when the slitter parts 38c and 53th are swung trmisversely down, they are apart and cannot contact the cutting edges of disk 32 so that even during disabling of'the cutters, no injury can result to the cutting edges.

When shaft 955 is returned to initial position to replace the lower slitter shaft 89 in operative position, the pins lid do not leave the narrow portion of slot M6 in sleeves Hill until after shaft 89 has returned to operative position. Thus during return movement of slitter parts 33a and b to proper cutting alinement with slitter disk 32, the parts 33a and 3327 are held apart and at a. distance from the sides of disk 32 and injury to the cutting edges cannot occur.

After the parts 33a and b are in operative alinement, then pins H5 move into the wide part of slot H6 between sleeves Ill and permit springs 90 to force the parts 33a and b into intimate contact with the sides of cutting disk 32.

In order to prevent interference with the feed of large cards C or small cards c when the slitter is not in operation, the side locating fingers '41 are also disabled simultaneously with the slitter 33. This is effected when right hand sleeve H1 (as viewed in Fig. 10) moves to the right to move slitter part 33b in the same direction. Extending from the right hand sleeve H1 is an arm I22 (Figs. 6, 10, and 12) which when said sleeve H1 moves to the right engages one side of sleeve 61 to move the latter and the side locating device rigid therewith away from side stop 48. Thus, when depression 62 in disk 55 confronts follower 63 of the side locating device, spring III is unable to move the fingers 41 towards side stop 48. This is especially desirable when the small or divisional cards 0 are feeding abreast because in that case, action of fingers 41 if not restrained might kick the near divisional card onto the top of the farther divisional card and clog the feed passage.

It has been explained that one advantage of slitting the large card 0 into its divisional parts 0 by cutting out a. strip S is that the adjacent edges of the divisional parts are not bent downwardly by the slitting operation.

Another advantage is that the divisional cards are less than half width of the parent card. If each divisional card were exactly one half the width of the parent cards, it would be impossible to effectively ieed two such stacks of divisional cards side by side or in double file through the machine. This is because the adjacent edges of the double file of cards would frictionally engage each other. Unless the rear edges of the cards abreast of each other were perfectly alined in the hopper, one picker 2t would start moving its card before the other picker moved the other card, so that the latter card would be turned askew by the friction of its side edge with the adjacent edge of the card which moves first. The same thing might occur if in passing through the feed rolls, one card should be moved the slightest bit faster than the other because of a better frictional grip of its side of the feed rolls.

As it is essential that columns of the cards be in perfect alinement with the analyzing brushes, it is necessary to prevent the slightest possibility that a card might be moved transversely. For this reason, it is advantageous to divide the card into small cards by cutting away a strip S, leaving each small card less than half the width of the large card. This further permits the use of a partition plate I25 (see Figs. 5, 16, and 17) in the supply hopper 22 which is of the width of strip 8 and divides the hopper into two separate compartments. In effect, the partition plate converts the single wide hopper into a double section hopper. The partition plate separates the two stacks of small cards c from each other (as may be seen from Fig. preventing the adjacent side edges of the cards from interfering with the proper feed of either card.

In short, by cutting out the strip S in slitting card C into cards c, the advantage is gained of allowing for use of a partition plate in the hopper to separate two stacks of cards c from each other, thus permitting the proper and effective feeding of cards side by side and'simultaneously through the machine. This saves time in gathering statistics from the cards c.

In accomplishing the above, it is necessary that each definitely numbered column of a small card a be analyzed by a sensing brush 23 assigned to that particular column and further that the relation of the brushes 28 to their columns be the same as when the large card C is being fed through the machine. That is column 1 of a card 0 should be sensed by the same analyzing brush 20 as column 1 of card 0. The fixed relationship of the columns to the various brushes is necessary in order that the results obtained by means connected to the brushes be properly ascertainable. That is it is desired that a print record from columns 1 to 4 of a type bank should relate to columns 1 to 4 of the card 0 or C, whichever is feeding. It is therefore required to retain the same brush positions with respect to the columns of the small card as with respect to the large card columns. This object is also attained by the use of partition plate I25 which, being of the same width as strip S spaces the small cards and their respective columns exactly as the columns were spaced when they were part of the large card C, the brush positions being retained in the same relation to the columns, as indicated in Fig. 19.

Further, since cards 0 derived froma single card C are exact duplicates, in size and column position, either of such cards may be placed in either side of the hopper with its columns in alinement with the alloted brushes.

As shown in Fig. 15, the tabulating card C has beveled portions preceding each section c. Tabulating cards are usually provided with such beveled portions to assist the operator in stacking the cards with their faces and columns arranged alike. If it were attempted to sever the card C along a single line, it would be practically impossible to assure this line of cut being exactly along the vertical side of the intermediate bevel-shaped slot. 12. in the card and as a result a thin residue strip would be left at one side of one or the other sectional card 0. The presence of this residue strip would be undesirable. By cutting out strip S, partly from each section 0, it is definitely certain that no residue strip will remain on either sectional card. This constitutes another reason for cutting out the strip S to separate card C into sectional cards 0.

The partition plate I25 is also made use of for a controlling function related to the feeding of the small cards before the slitters 32 and 33 have been moved out of cooperation. When the slitters are in cooperation, the divisional cards 0 should not be fed because, as stated previously, their edges might be cut or bent by the slitter and locator fingers 41 might shove one card onto the card abreast. Referring to Fig. 16, contacts I26 secured to the bottom of hopper 22 are normally closed. These contacts are in the circuit which controls the running of the machine as will be more fully explained in connection with circuit diagram, Fig. 20. When full cards are being fed, the contacts I26 are closed. When divisional cards are to be fed, partition plate I25 is inserted in hopper 22. The plate has a depending lug I21 which when the plate is in place, engages the lower contacts carrier I28 and opens contacts I26. This opens the operating circuit of the machine. To close this circuit, contacts I29 (see Figs. 6, 7, and 20) are provided in parallel with contacts I26. Contacts I29 are normally open but when closed shunt contacts I26 to complete the machine operating circuit, as will be more fully explained in connection with the circuit diagram. Normally open contacts I29 are closed only when the slitters 32, 33 and locating fingers 41 have been disabled. As explained before, the slitters and side fingers are disabled by operation of crank handle I06. When the latter is swung to dotted line position (Fig. 7), portion IIO thereof engages the upper contact carrier I30 and closes contacts I29. With handle I06 latched in dotted line positions, contacts I29 are closed while the slitters and side locators are inoperative. The machine is then in condition for feeding the divisional cards 0.

To retain partition plate I25 in position in the supply hopper 22, the latter has guideways I3I and l32 (see Figs. 5, 16 and 17) in which the plate is inserted and by which it is held in position against transverse movement. To retain the plate in the hopper, guideway I32 is open at its upper end to permit a hook I33 on the plate to project therethrough to the front of the hopper. A latch I34 slidably mounted on the front wall of the hopper is adapted to engage hook I33. A spring I35 normally retains latch I34 in operative latching position and it is necessary to grasp a knob I35 on the latch to move it against resistance of spring I35 in order to release the latch from hook I33 and permit removal of partition plate I25.

When the divisional cards 0 are being fed, it is first of all necessary to retain the same correlation of their columns to the sensing brushes This, as already explained, is primarily made possible by making partition plate I25 of the same width as the cut-out S of the large card C. It is also necessary in feeding the small cards to the analyzing sections that they be not moved sidewise to disturb their proper positions with respect to the analyzing brushes. The card data perforations and the analyzing brushes are very narrow and the slightest misalignment of the card would prevent proper contact of the brushes with the perforations. When cards 0 are feeding abreast, there is normally no tendency once the cards emerge from the supply hopper of being laterally shifted by the action of feed rollers 24 and 25. But as one stack of cards c may be less in number than the other stack, after the smaller stack has been exhausted, cards continue to feed from the other stack.

event exert uneven pressure on the surface of the cards 0 feeding alone and move it askew or out of alignment with the brush positions. This can be understood from Fig. 3, showing the type of card'feed rolls customarily used in statistical machines. The upper feed rdlls A are a rigid unit and spring pressed at the ends to provide for yielding pressure on the card. So long as wide cards for which the feed rolls have been designed are feeding, there is an equal lifting of the upper feed rolls A and consequently an equal pressure along the card surface. But with a card c of less than normal width feeding, one side of upper rolls A will be lifted and the other side not. This inclines the upper rolls so that only a linear portion B of the card 0 is, in effect, engaged by a feed roll. The rest of the card is not contacted by the upper feed rolls. Consequently, the tendency is to feed the left side of card 0 (as viewed in Fig. 3) faster than the right side of the card, which results in moving the card askew or transversely so that its oolunms will not be correlated to the assigned brush positions.

To prevent the above occurrence, upper feed 4 rolls 25 are split or made in two similar sections axially alined with each other, as shown in Fig. 2. As in previous practice, the farther ends of the'rolls 25 are movably mounted in rocker arms I40 (see Fig. 1) and are resiliently urged towards the lower rolls 24 by springs MI. The upper rolls 25 depart from prior practice in being axially split into two sections. Each section terminates in a feed roll 250:. which is hollow to rotatably receive a roller I52, each carried by the lower end of a block I65 slidably mounted on frame portion Mt (see Figs. 2, 4, and 14;)

The slide blocks I d5 are engaged by plungers I45 acted on by coil springs I 35. The springpressed plungers thus constantly urge the inner ends of the split upper or outer feed rolls 25 towards the companion feed rolls 2L]. In above manner, the upper feed rolls are divided into two similar, axially separated, sections, each mov-= able independently of the other section so that when one section is lifted by a small card e, the other is unaffected. Thus, even though a single file of small cards 0 were feeding through the machine, there would be no tendency of the feed rolls to be set at an inclined position and move the cards askew but each split section of the upper feed rolls would act independently of the other section to feed small cards. In brief, two separate, feed means are provided, side by side, to independently feed small cards 0, which may be passing through in double or single file.

Provision is also made for stopping the machine when the large cards 0 are exhausted to prevent unnecessary and idle running of the nia= chine. For the same reason, operation of the machine should stop when the feed of small cards 0 stops. However, should one stack of small cards c be exhausted while the other is not, then provisions must be made for keeping the machine running until the latter stack is also exhausted. Only when both stacks of cards 0 are exhausted is the machine to stop running. The means for accomplishing the above objects will now be explained with reference to the circuit diagram, Fig. 20.

To start the machine, the operator depresses start key ST to close start key contacts st. With full cards C in the hopper 22, partition plate I25 is absent and normally closed hopper contacts I25:

2,089,881 The ordinary feed rollers would in the latter are operative. With contacts at and I28 closed,

the following starting circuit is formed:

From line I50, through stop key contacts sp (normally closed), contacts I26, clutch magnet I5I, and through contacts st to line I52.

Energization by above circuit of magnet I 5| connects in a known manner a motor (not shown) to gear III (Fig. 1) from which the drive of the various parts of the machine is effected, as explained previously.

Energization of magnet I5I also closes contacts I5Ia. With these contacts and either of parallel contacts I5|a or I55a closed, a shunt circuit is completed which by-passes the start key contacts st, permitting the operator to release the start key without interrupting operation of the machine. Contacts I 5Ia are closed by clutch magnet I5I, as already stated. Contacts I5|a and I55a are closed under control of the cards. When cards C are feeding, both contacts I5 and I55a are closed. When a double file of cards 0 is feeding, the same thing is true.

With only one file of cards 0 feeding, only one contact I54a or I55a is closed. With no cards C or c feeding, both contacts are open and the clutch magnet circuit is deenergized to cause cessation of operation of gear III by the motor drive.

Contacts I5la and I55a are respectively closed by energization of multi-contact relay magnets I54 and I55. To initially energize these magnets, cam contacts I56 and I 56' must be closed in addition to normally closed contacts I5Ia and I58a. With both these contacts closed, the circuit through magnet I54 is from line I50, through contacts I56, contacts I5la, and magnet I54 to line I52 while the circuit through magnet I55 is from line I50, through contacts I56, contacts I58a, and magnet I54 to line I52.

Cam contacts I56 and I56 close simultaneously just before the card leaves the upper analyzing section and remain closed a short interval following the departure of the card from the latter analyzing section. Thus when the operator closes start key contacts st, he holds the start key down until the pickers 2i have fed the first card through and past the upper analyzing section. During this time, cam contacts I 55 and I56 close, as above stated, and magnets I55 and I55 are energized. Energization of these magnets closes contacts I54a and I55a to complete the shunt path of the clutch magnet circuit, which path by-passes the start key contacts permitting the operator to release these contacts without interrupting machine operation.

Cam contacts I56 and I56 are closed only for a...

short interval of the card cycle. During the re mainder of the card cycle, when contacts I56 and and I56 open, provision is made for continuing energization of magnets I56 and I55. This is eifected by providing a shunt circuit for these magnets which Icy-passes contacts I56 and I58a and a similar shunt circuit around contacts I56 and H111. The shunt circuits include cam contacts I55 and I59 which close during the portion of the card cycle when cam contacts I56 and I55 are open. In. series with contacts I 59 are contacts I541) closed by magnet I54 and in series with contacts I59 are contacts I 5521 closed by magnet I55. Thus, the shunt circuit for magnet I58 is from line I56, through contacts I55, contacts I541), and magnet I56, to line I52. The shunt circuit for magnet I55 is similarly through contacts I55 and I551.

From the above, it is seen that magnets I54 aosaasr and Ill must be energized to maintain contacts I54a and I54b cloud to provide a shunt path around the start key contacts at. During the greater portion of the card cycle including the entire period during which the card is passing through the upper analyzing section, cam contacts I56 and I59 are closed to maintain magnets I54 and I55 energized. Cam contacts I56 and I58 open when the card has just left the upper analyzing section and close again after a brief gap before the next card reaches the upper analyzer. During this gap in the card cycle, cam contacts I55 and I56 close to maintain the magnets energized. Contacts I56 and I56' are ineifective, however, unless normally closed contacts i511; and I58a remain closed during aforesaid gap in the cycle.

Contacts I51a and I58a are opened by energization of relays I51 and I58. As long as the latter relays are deenergized, contacts I51a and I58a say closed and automatic operation of the machine continues. It may be stated here that as long as the cards continue to feed, these relays remain inactive. Hence, while cards are still feeding, contacts I51a and I58a are closed and during the portion of the cycle when cam contacts I56 and I56 close as well as for the remainder of the cycle, magnets I54 and I55 will be energized to close contacts I54a and I55a. In brief, while cards are feeding, the by-pass path shunting start key contacts st is closed and when the card feed has stopped to cause both contacts I54a and I55a to open, this by-pass is opened and the machine stops operating.

It is evident then that to continue automatic operation of the machine, relays I51 and I 58 must not be energized during the card cycle. The circuits through these relays are similar and only one will be described. Considering relay I51, the circuit therethrough from line I56 to line I52 would be through relay I51, cam contacts I62, left hand upper brush 26, and contact roller 21 wiped by the brush in the absence of I an intervening card.

Cam contacts I62 close only for a brief period while the card is between the brushes 26 and contact roller 21. There is a left hand brush 26 and a right hand brush 26, each engageable with a corresponding end strip of the card Cwhich lies outside of the column sections of the card or the data-bearing portions thereof. These end strips are devoid of data perforations and may be termed blank, non-designating, or dead card' portions.

Accordingly, during the whole interval when the card C is passing through the upper analyzing section, the two such brushes 26 are insulated by said dead card portions from contact roller 21. Hence, the circuit through relay I51 or I58 is not completed though contacts I62 close.- However, if the feed of the cards has been exhausted, during the period in which a card should be beneath brushes 26, there will be no card there and contact roll 21 will be wiped by brushes 26. During this period, cam contacts I62 will close and the circuit through said relays will be established. This occurs during the card cycle prior to the closing of the cam contacts I56 and I56. The problem then is to have contacts I51a and I58a still open when contacts I56 and I56 later close so that the shunt path through magnet I54 and through magnet I55 will be broken. To accomplish this, magnet I51 when energized closes contacts I51b. This completes a holding circuit for the relay I51 which is as follows: From line IIII, through relay I51, contacts I51b, and cam contacts I64 to line I52.

Cam contacts I64 close at the same time as cam contacts I62 but remain closed for a longer portion of the card cycle and until after contacts I56 and I56 open.

The continued energization of relay I51 hold contacts I51a open to prevent making of the bypath circuit through magnet I54 when contacts I56 close after contacts I56 have opened to break the other circuit path through magnet I54.

Magnet I54 is thus deenergized and contacts I54a open. In a similar manner magnet I55'is deenergized to open contacts I55a. The circuit paths through clutch magnet I5I which shunt start key contacts at are thus opened, resulting in deenergization of the clutch magnet to-stop operation of the machine.

It has been previously explained how the small cards are fed through the machine in the same line as though they were still parts of the large card C to thereby maintain the same brush positions with respect to the data columns. Another purpose of retaining the path of travel of a small card 0 the same as if it were part of the large card C is to maintain its dead. end portion in the same relation to the end brushes 26. Hence with a double file of cards 0 passing through the upper analyzing section, both brushes 26 will be insulated from contact 21 by the dead end portions of the cards 0 abreast of each other and neither relay I51 nor I58 will be energized. With only.

contact 21 and as a result either magnet I54 or" I55 will be deenergized, depending on which side the cards 0 are still feeding.

Thus with a file of cards 0 passing through only the left side of the machine, magnet I54 alone will be energized while the right hand brush 26 will be making contact with roller 21 resulting in energizing-magnet I58 to open contacts I58a and break the circuit through magnet I55. Energization of a magnet I54 or I55 will open one of contacts I54a or I551) but the other contact will remain closed so that the circuit to the clutch magnet will not be interrupted.

Only with the absence of cards 0 at both sides of the machine, will the opening of both contacts I54a and I55a result and deenergization of clutch magnet II take place.

The control of the accounting mechanism according to the information on the cards is effected by the lower analyzer section. Magnets I54 and I55 are also utilized to select the portion of the loweranalyzing section which is to be effective for controlling the accounting mechanism when a single file of divisional cards 0 is feeding. As is well-known, the analyzing brush feels a perforation in the card column at a differential point in the card reading cycle and thereupon energizes a magnet which sets adding means in motion for the remainder of the card cycle. At the same time, a printing control magnet is energized to stop a type bar in a difierential position corresponding to the controlling perforation in the card column.

For convenience of illustration, only one magnet to each card column is shown in Fig. 20.

This magnet may represent the printing control magnet. The magnets are divided into two sets, the set ML being correlated to the lower analyzer brushes 28 adapted to analyze cards passing along the left hand side of the machine and the other set MR being correlated to the brushes 28 adapted to analyze cards 0 passing through the right hand side of the machine.

When only a single file of cards 0 is feeding at one side of the machine, the brushes 28 adapted to sense a file of cards at the other side of the machine will wipe the bare contact roller 29 and accordingly energization would result of the set of magnets correlated to the latter brushes. This would cause useless operation of accumulators and would enter undesirable numbers into the latter. It would also cause undesirable printing on the record sheet which issues from the machine. To obviate the above objections, provision is made for rendering the analyzer effective to energize only one set of magnets M--L or M--R when only a single file of cards 0 is feeding, magnets M-L being selected for ener gization by the analyzer when cards c are feeding through the left hand side and magnets M-R being selected when cards 0 are feeding through the right hand side of the machine. The selection is effected under control oft-he cards themselves. As explained previously in connection with the automatic machine operating circuit which by-passes the start key contacts, when cards 0 are passing along the left hand side of the machine, they cooperate with the left hand brush'26 of the upper analyzer section to control continued energization of magnet I54. Similarly cards 0 at the right hand side cooperate with the right hand brush 26 to maintain energization of magnet I55. When no cards 0 are passing through one side of the machine, the corresponding magnet I54 or I55 is deenergized. Thus, if a file of cards is feeding only on the left side, then magnet I54 is energized and magnet I55 is deenergized. These magnets control a plurality of contacts including contacts I540 and I550, the former in series with the set of magnets M-L and the latter in series with magnets MR.

To permit energization of a set of magnets, the contacts I540 and I55c must be closed. If cards are passing only on the left side of the machine, magnet I54 is energized and contacts I540 are closed while magnet I55 is deenergized and contacts I550 are open. Thus the magnets M--R cannot be energized although their correlated brushes 28 are wiping the bare contact roller 29. Magnets I56 and I55 also close parallel contacts I54d and H501 in the card reading and magnet circuit. With only magnet I55 energized, only contacts I 560 and Wild are closed. When a perforation occurs in the card passing through the left side of the lower analyzer, the following circuit is completed:

From line I56, through contacts I 3d, cam contacts I86 (closed during the card reading period), contact roller 29, the brush 28 engaging roller 29 through the perforation, a plug socket I67, plug connection I68, a plug socket I69, the magnet M-L connected to said plug socket, and through contacts I540 to line I52.

When only a single file of cards 0 is passing through the right side of the machine, then magnet I55 alone will be energized and. contacts I540 and H411 will be open so that above circuit could not be made through a magnet M-L but contacts I550 and 0550. would be closed so that a circuit similar to above could be made through a magnet M-R.

Briefly summarized, the machine operates as follows:

When feeding large cards C, the machine is usually conditioned for slitting them into divi-. sional cards 0 after the analysis of the cards to control accounting operations. To condition the machine for slitting the cards, crank handle I06 (Figs. 6 and 7) is moved to the full line position (Fig. 7). The cards C are divided into two individual sections 0 by slitters 32 and 33 and the resulting divisional cards c delivered to the receiving magazine 36.

When feeding small cards 0 through the machine, the supply magazine 22 is separated into two compartments by a plate I25 (Figs. 5, 16, and 1'7). The plate opens contacts I26 and in order to start the machine, the operator is compelled to move crank handle I06 to the dotted line position (Fig. 7) to disable the card slitting and locating mechanism and close contacts I29. These latter contacts permit the circuit of the clutch magnet I5I (Fig. 20) to be closed when the start key contacts st are manually closed. When the first card leaves the upper analyzing section, cam contacts I56 and I56 close to establish circuits through magnets I54 and I55 which thereupon close parallelcontacts I54a and I55a. These latter and contacts I5Ia in series therewith by-pass the start key contacts and thereafter the ma.- chine operates automatically as long as cards 0 are feeding at either side of the machine.

When the feed of cards 0 is exhausted at one side of the machine, a brush 26 of the upper analyzer section makes contact with conductor 21 and at a period in the cycle which does not occur during the period of closure of cam contacts I56 or I56, magnet I51 or I58 is energized to open contacts I5'Ia. or I58a in series with said cam contacts. Then when contacts I56 and I56 close after the card reading period, the circuit through magnet I54 or I55 is not made and contacts I540 or I550 open, depending on whether the cards 0 along the left or right side of the machine have been exhausted. With contacts I54c open, circuits cannot be made through magnets M-L and with contacts I550 open, circuits cannot be made through magnets M-R. Thus a file of cards along one side of the machine selects correlated magnets and accounting apparatus for operation while a file of cards along the other side of the machine selects other magnets and accounting apparatus for operation.

The difierential selection of the magnets in each set is made under control of the lower analyzer brushes 28 according to the reading of perforations in the cards and the previous passage of the cards through the upper analyzer determines whether the brushes correlated to one or the other or both sets of magnets M will be effective.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form. and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards, each having spaced sections of control columns, through the machine aoaaesr to control accounting operations and a slitter operating on each control card in its passage through the machine for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections to form individual, detached, cards, each bearing one of said sections, said slitter comprising a narrow cutting member of the width of said strip and a pair of cutting elements in alinement with each other and engaging opposite sides of the cutting member to shear the card along the two lines defining said strip, the cutting elements supporting the card during its cutting in its own plane to prevent bending thereof while the cutting member penetrates below the surface of the card.

2. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards, each having spaced sections of control columns, through the machine to control accounting operations and a slitter operating on each control card in its passage through the machine for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections to form individual, detached, cards, each bearing one of said sections, said slitter comprising a narrow cutting member of the width of said strip and a pair of cutting elements in alinement with each other and engaging opposite sides of the cutting member to shear the card along the two lines defining said strip, a support for said cutting elements, and means for individually and separately adjusting each element along said support to intimately contact its coacting side of the cutting member.

3. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards, each having spaced sections of control columns, through the machine to control accounting operations and a slitter operating on each control card in its passage through the machine for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections to form individual, detached, cards, each bearing one of said sections, said slitter comprising a narrow-cutting member of the width of said strip and a pair of cutting elements in alinement with each other and engaging opposite sides of the cutting member to shear the card along the two lines defining said strip, a support for said cutting elements, and means yieldingly and constantly urging each element along said support into intimate contact with its coacting side of the cutting member.

4. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards, each having spaced sections of control columns, through the machine to control accounting operations and a slitter operating on each control card in its passage through the machine for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections to form individual, detached, cards, each hearing one of said sections, said slitter comprising a narrow rotary cutting disk of the width of said strip and a pair of rotary cutting elements in alinement with each other and engaging opposite sides of the disk to shear the card along the two lines defining said strip, a common shaft for said cutting elements, means for mounting the elements on said shaft for rotation with the latter and also for slidable movement along the shaft, and spring means between the shaft and the cutting elements for constantly forcing the latter to engage their respective sides of the cutting disk.

5. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards, each having spaced sections of control columns, through the machine to control accounting operations and a slitter operating on each control card in its passage through the machine for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections to form the individual, detached, cards, each bearing one of said sections, said slitter comprising a narrow cutting member of the width of said strip and a pair of cutting elements in alinement with each other and engaging opposite sides of the cutting member to shear the card along the two lines defining said strip, means for separating the cutting member and elements from each other in a direction transverse to the plane of the card to disable the slitter, and means for spreading the cutting elements apart in the direction in which they are alined to remove them from engagement with the sides of said cutting member prior to the separation in the first-' mentioned direction.

6. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards, each having spaced sections of control columns, through the machine to control accounting operations and a slitter operating on each control card in its passage through the machine for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections to form individual, detached, cards, each bearing one of said sections, said slitter comprising a narrow cutting disk of the width of said strip and a pair of cutting elements in alinement with each other in a cutting plane and engaging opposite sides of the disk to shear the card along the two lines defining said strip, devices for normally forcing the cutting elements towards the coacting sides of the disk, means for moving the cutting elements transversely of the card plane from an inactive position into the cutting plane, and means for holding the elements apart against resistance of said devices during the movement of the elements to the cutting plane to prevent contact between said elements and the disk until the elements have reached the cutting plane after which said devices move the elements into engagement with the sides of the disk.

7. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards, each having spaced sections of control columns, through the machine to control accounting operations and a slitter operating on each control card in its passage through the machine for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections to form individual, detached, cards, each bearing one of said sections, said slitter comprising a rotary cutting disk of the width of said strip and a pair of rotary cutting elements in alinement with each other and engaging opposite sides of the disk to shear the card along the'two lines defining said strip, a common shaft for said cutting elements, means for mounting the elements on the shaft for rotation therewith and also for slidable movement along the shaft, springs between the shaft and the elements for constantly urging the latter into engagement with their respective sides of the disk, means for moving said shaft bodily and in a direction transverse to the axis of the disk, means for sliding said elements apart on. said shaft to separate them against resistance of said springs in an axial direction away from the opposite sides of the disk, and a common operating device for said last two mentioned means to operate them in predetermined order such as to prevent contact between the elements and the disk while the shaft is being moved transversely of the disk axis.

8. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding am; am having tions-of controlcolumns, through the machine to control accounting operations and a slitter operatingfon each control card in itspassagethrough the machine for-cutting outja strip lengthwise of the card and between its sections toform in ejector.

9. In an accounting machine; for; feeding controlcard's having a plurality of sections ,of data'bearing columns through the ma- I chine to control accounting operations according to the data of the several sections, a slitter for operating on each card during its passage through the machine for separating the card into individual detached, parts, each bearing one of aforesaid sections of columns, and means for squaring each card before it passes through the slitter and is operated on by the latter.

10. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards having a plurality of sections of data bearing columns through the machine to control accounting operations according to the data of the several sections, a slitter for operating on each card during its passage through the machine for separating the card into individual detached, parts, each bearing one of aforesaid sections of columns, and means for squaring each card before it passes through the slitter and is operated on by the latter, said card squaring means comprising a device for moving the card transversely of its direction of feed to position the card in a definite locus of travel to the slitting operation.

11. In an accounting machine; mechanism for I feeding control cards having a plurality of sections of data bearing columns through the machine to'control accounting operations according to the data of the several sections, a slitter for operating on each card during its passage through the machine for separating the card into individual detached, parts, each bearing one of aforesaid sections of columns, and means for squaring each card before it passes through the slitter and is operated on by the latter, said card squaring means comprising a device for engaging the forward end of the card to positively arrest the feed of the latter and aline the forward end of the card transversely of the direction of card feed.

12. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards having a plurality of sections of data bearing columns through the machine to control accounting operations according to the data of the several sections, a slitter for operating on each card during its passage through the machine for separating the card into individual detached, parts, each bearing one of aforesaid sections of columns, and means for squaring each card before it passes through the slitter and is operated on by the latter, and means for interrupting the feed of the card during the card squaring operation.

13. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards having a plurality of sections of data bearing columns through the machine to control accounting operations according to the data of the several sections, a slitter for operating on each card during its passage through the machine for separating the card 2,039,881 I i into individualdetached, parts, each bearing one f "-of aforesaid sections of columns, and means-for squaring each card before it passes through theslitter and is operated on by the latter, means for disabling the slitters, and means controlled by the slitter disabling means for rendering the card squaring means ineffective.

14'. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding control cards having a plurality of sections of data bearing columns through the machine to control accounting operations according to the. .data of the several sections, a slitter for operating on each card during its passage through the machine for separating the card into individual detached, parts, each bearing one of aforesaid sections of columns, and means for squaring each card before it passes through the slitter and is operated on by the latter, said card squaring means comprising a device for engaging the side of the card to move the card transversely of its direction of feed prior to the slitting operation, means for disabling the slitters, and means controlled by the slitter disabling means for rendering aforesaid device ineffective.

15. In an accounting machine; mechanism for feeding large control cards through the machine to control accounting operations, a slitter for cutting each such card in its passage through the machine into detached sectional cards to be subsequently fed by said mechanism through the machine to control accounting operations, means for disabling the slitter, and means for rendering said mechanism ineffective to feed the sectional cards prior to the disabling of the slitter.

16. In an accounting machine; a supply hopper for receiving either large or small cards, mechanism for feeding either the small or large cards through the machine to control accounting operations, a slitter operable to slit the large cards in their passage through the machine, and means for preventing operation of said feeding mechanism to feed small cards before the slitter is disabled.

17. In an accounting machine; a supply hopper ly receiving a plurality of stacks of smaller cards side by side, a partition plate for holding the stacks of smaller cards in the magazine apart, mechanism for feeding either the large or smaller cards through the machine to control accounting operations, a slitter for slitting the larger card into separate, detached, sections, means for disabling the slitter, a circuit for controlling operation of said feeding mechanism, a switch in said circuit opened by insertion of the partition plate in the magazine to break the circuit and prevent operation of the feeding mechanism, and a switch in the circuit closed by the slitter disabling means when the slitter is disabled to shunt out the first-mentioned switch and complete said circuit to render the feeding mechanism operative.

18. Means for severing large data bearing tabulating cards into smaller tabulating cards to be run through an accounting machine side-by-side alternatively to the running through said machine of the large cards; comprising mechanism for feeding the large cards through the accounting machine to control accounting operations according to the data thereon and thereafter guiding them during their feed along a definite locus and a slitter operating on a large card after the latter has controlled accounting operations and during its feeding along said locus for cutting out a strip lengthwise of the large card to form .smaller data bearing cards having a total width less than the width of the large card and capable of being run side-by-side through aforesaid accounting machine with their adjacent sides out of contact and during such run to individually control accounting operations.

19. Means for severing large tabulating cards bearing control columns preceded by a margin into duplicate, smaller tabulating cards, each with the same margin as the aforementioned margin; comprising mechanism for feeding the large cards, means for engaging the large cards while feeding to constrain them to move along a definite locus of travel, and a slitter operating on a large card during its feeding along said definite locus to cut out a strip lengthwise of the large card and of a width to produce duplicate sectional cards each having the same margin and the same arrangement and relationship of columns to the margin and capable of being stacked with their columns in alinement.

20. In a machine for operating on tabulating cards having spaced sections of control columns and intermediate the sections a beveled notch having a straight, vertical side; the combination of mechanism for feeding the cards, means constraining the cards to feed along a definite locus of travel, and a slitter operating on the cards while feeding along said locus for cutting out a vertical strip lengthwise of the card, between said sections, and including the portion of the card formed with said straight, vertical notch side to thereby form similar, sectional, tabulating cards.

RALPH E. PAGE. 

